Railway traffic controlling apparatus



Feb. 16,1932. E. M. ALLEN RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed larch 13, 1931 INVENEOR.

E. M. Allen W F Na ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EARL M. ALLEN, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH &

SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VAN IA RAILWAY TRAFFIG CONTROLLING APPARATUS Application filed March 13, 1931. Serial No. 522,250.

My invention relates to railway traflic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type involving switches and signals controlled by manually operable levers located at a remote point. One feature of my invention is the provision of apparatus of this character wherein relays are substituted for the usual interlocking mechanism for the levers.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then pointout the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character K designates a railway switch which is movable to normal and reverse positionsby a switch operating mechanism H, and which mechanism is in turn supplied with current of normal or reverse polarity, according as a polarized switch relay E is energized in normal or reverse direction. The polarized relay E is controlled by a normal switch relay A and a reverse switch relay A and these two switch relays are in turn controlled by a contact 1 on a manually operable switch lever L The normal and reverse switch relays are controlled in part by a manual circuit controller D having a normally closed contact. 35 and a normally open contact 3-4.

Trafiic moving toward the right through switch K is controlled by three signals S S and S and traffic moving toward the left through this switch, is controlled by a fourth signal 8*. These signals are controlled by a polarized signal relay F, and the relay F is in turn controlled by a left-hand signal relay C and a right-hand signal relay C These signal relays are controlled in part by a contact 2 on a manually operable signal lever L and in part by contacts of the manual circuit controller D. The signal S which is a calling-on signal, is provided with a separate calling-on relay G, which is controlled by the signal relays C and C cir cuit controller D, and an auxiliary normally open manual contact 30. e

As shown in the drawing, the switch K is in the normal position, all of the signals are at stop and the parts of the controlling apparatus are in the conditions corresponding to these conditions of the switch and signals. Relay A is energized by virtue of a stick circuit which passes from terminal B of a suitable source of current through the normally closed contact 35 of circuit controller 1), front cont-act 6 of relay A and the winding of this relay to terminal 0 of the same source of current. All of the other c0ntrol relays associated with the levers L and L are deenergized.

I will now assume that the operator desires to reverse the switch K. To do this, he will swing the lever L to its reverse position wherein contact 11 is closed, and at the same time he will momentarily depress the circuit controller D. This operation of circuit controller D will open contact 3-5 and will close contact 34. The opening of the normally closed contact will open the stick circuit for relay A so that this relay will become deenergized. The closing of contact 3'l will close a pick-up circuit for relay A which circuit is from terminal B, through contact 3-4, contact 1-1 on lever L back contact 7 of relay A and the winding of relay A 'to terminal 0. The operator will then release the circuit controller D, whereupon relay A will be held energized by a stick circuit which passes from terminal B, through contact 35, front contact 9 of relay A and the winding of this relay to terminal 0. Relay E will then be supplied with current of reverse olarity, the circuit being from terminal i of a battery M, through the front point of contact 11 of relay A and the winding of relay E to the middle point 0 of battery M. This will cause the polar contacts of relay E to swing to the right, whereupon current of reverse polarity will be supplied to the switch operating mechanism H, the circuit being from terminal B, through front, neutral contact 20 ofrelay E, polar contact 21 in the righthand position, operating mechanism H, and polar contact 22 in the right-hand position to terminal 0. This will cause the switch K to be moved to the reverse position.

Assuming now that the operator desires to restore switch K to the normal position, he will return the lever L to its normal position and will depress the manual circuit controller D. This will open the stick circuit for relay A, and will close a pick-up circuit for relay A this pick-up circuit being from terminal B, through contact 3l, lever contact 1-1", back contact 10 of relay A and the winding of relay A to terminal 0. Upon releasing the circuit controller D, this pick-up circuit will be opened, and the stick circuit previously traced, will be closed. The polarizel switch relay E will then be supplied with current of normal polarity, the circuit being from terminal B of battery M, through front contact 8 of relay A back point of contact 11 of relay A and the winding of relay E to terminal 0. Current of normal polarity will then be supplied to the switch mechanism H, the circuit being from terminal B, through front neutral contact 20 of relay E, polar contact 21 in the lefthand position, operating mechanism H, and polar contact 22 in the left-hand position to terminal 0. The mechanism H will then be operated to restore the switch K to its normal position.

I will now assume that while switch K is in the normal position, the operator desires to clear the signal S To do this, he will move the signal lever L to its right-hand position, and at the same time will depress circuit controller D. Relay C will then become energized by virtue of a pick-up circuit which passes from terminal B, through contact 3& of circuit controller D, lever contact 22 back contact 13 to relay C and the winding of relay C to terminal 0. The operator may then release the circuit controller D, whereupon a stick circuit for relay C will become closed, this circuit being from terminal B, through contact 35, front contact 16 of relay C and the winding of this relay to terminal 0. Current of normal polarity will then be supplied to relay F, the circuit being from terminal B, through the front point of contact 18 of relay C, and the winding of relay F to terminal 0. The neutral contacts of relay F will then close, and the polar contacts of this relay will be swung to the right, whereupon the operating circuit for signal S will become closed. This operating circuit is from terminal B, through switch operated contact 23 in the normal position, front neutral contact 2& of relay F, polar contact 26 in the normal position, and the operating mechanism of signal S to terminal 0. If the switch K is in the reverse position when relay F becomes energized in the normal direction, signal S will be cleared instead of signal S the circuit for signal S being from terminal B, through switch operated contact 23 in the reverse position, front neutral contact 25 of relay F, polar contact 27 in the normal position, and the operating mechanism of signal S to terminal 0.

After a train accepts either signal S or S and enters the section of track containing the switch K, the signal which was cleared will be restored to the stop position through the usual track circuit control which is omitted from the drawing to simplify the disclosure. The operator may then clear the calling-011 signal S by again depressing the manual circuit controller D and closing the manual contact 30. Lever L still being in the right-hand position, the operation of circuit controller D will keep relay C energized, and relay G will then become ener gized by virtue of a circuit which passes from terminal B through front contact 19 of relay C normally open contact on circuit controller D, contact 30, and the winding of relay G to terminal 0. A stick circuit for relay G will then be closed, this circuit being from terminal B, through contact 81 on signal S contact on signal S front contact 28 of relay G, and the winding of this relay to terminal 0. Contacts 31 and are closed if and only if the associated signals are at stop. When this stick circuit becomes closed, the operator may release the circuit controller D and the contact 30, and relay G will then remain energized until either signal S or S is again cleared. W'ith relay G energized, the calling-011 signal S will be cleared by virtue of a circuit which includes front contact 29 of relay G, and which circuit will be obvious from the drawing.

Assuming that the operator desires to clear signal S", be will move lever L to the lefthand position, and will depress circuit controller D. Relay C will then become energized by a pick-up circuit which passes from terminal B, through contact 34, lever contact 22 back contact 17 of relay C and the winding of relay C to terminal 0. Upon releasing the circuit controller D, relay C will remain energized by virtue of a stick circuit which includes contact 35 of circuit controller D, and front contact 12 of relay C Relay F will then be supplied with current of reverse polarity, the circuit being from terminal N of battery M, through front contact 14 of relay C back pointof contact 18 of relay C and the winding of relay F to terminal 0. The polar contacts of relay F will then be swung to the right, and if switch K is in the normal position, signal S will be cleared, the circuit being from terminal B, through switch operated contact 23, front neutral contact 24 of relay F, polar contact 26 in the left-hand position, and the operating mechanism of signal S to terminal 0. By restoring lever L to its middle or normal position, and momentarily depressing circuit controller D, relay C will become deenergized, thereby deenergizing the relay F,

so that signal S will be restored to its stop position.

t will be observed that in order to energize either of the signal control relays C or C it is necessary to depress the circuit controller 1), and this operation of circuit controller D will open the stick circuit for Whichever one of the switch relays A or A happens to be energized. This will open the circuit for the polar switch relay E, so that the switch K cannot be falsely operated while anyone of the signals governing trallic over the switch is in the clear position.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway switch lever having normal and reverse positions, a manual circuit controller having a normally closed and a normally open contact, a normal switch relay and a reverse switch relay, a pick-up circuit for said normal switch relay including a normal contact on said lever and a back contact on said reverse switch relay as well as the normally open contact of said manual circuit controller, a pick-up circuit for said reverse relay including a reverse contact on said lever and a back contact of said normal switch relay as well as the normally open contact of said manual circuit controller, a stick circuit for each of said relays including the normally closed contact of said manual circuit controller, a polar switch relay, a normal circuit for said polar relay including a front contact of said normal switch relay and a back contact of said reverse switch relay, a reverse circuit for said polar relay including a front contact of said reverse switch relay, and a railway switch moved to normal or reverse position according as said polar relay is energized in normal or reverse direction.

2. In combination, a railway switch lever having normal and reverse positions, a manual circuit controller having anormally'closed and a normally open contact, a normal switch relay and a reverse switch relay, a pick-up circuit for said normal switch relay including a normal contact on said lever and a back contact on said reverse switch relay as well as the normally open contact of said manual circuit controller, a pick-up circuit for said reverse relay including a reverse contact on said lever and a back contact of said normal switch relay as well as the normally open contact of said manual circuit controller, a stick circuit for each of said relays including the normally closed contact of said manual circuit controller, a railway switch, and

means for moving said switch to normal or reverse position according as said normal or reverse relay is energized.

3. In combination, a railway switch lever having normal and reverse positions, a manual circuit controller having a normally closed and a normally open contact, a normal switch relay and a reverse switch relay, means for energizing said normal switch relay when and only when said switch lever is in the normal position and the normally open contact of the manual circuit controller is closed, means for energizing said reverse switch relay when and only when said lever is in the reverse position and the normally open contact of said manual circuit controller is closed, means for subsequently keeping either of said switch relays energized as long as the normally closed contact or said manual circuit controller is closed, a railway switch, and means for moving said switch to normal or reverse position according as said normal or reverse relay is energized.

4-. In combination, a railway switch lever having normal and reverse positions, a manual circuit controller having a normally closed and a normally open contact, a normal switch relay and a reverse switch relay, a pickup circuit for said normal switch relay including a normal contact on said lever and aback contact on said reverse switch relay as well as the normally open contact of said manual circuit controller, a piclr up circuit for said reverse relay including a reverse contact 011 said lever and a back contact of said normal switch relay as well as the normally open Contact of said manual circuit cont-roller, sticl: circuit for each of said relays including the normally closed contact of said manual circuit controller, a polarized switch relay, normal circuit for said polarized relay closed when and only when said normal switch relay is energized and said reverse switch relay is deenergized, a reverse circuit for said polarized relay closed when and only when said reverse switch relay is energized, a railway switch and means for moving said switch in normal or reverse position according as said polarized relay is energized in the normal or reverse drection.

5. in combination, a railway signal lever normally occupying a middle position and movable to l lthand and right-hand positions, a left-hand signal relay and a righthand signal relay, a manually operable circuit controller having a normally closed contact and a normally open contact, means for energizing said letthand signal relay when and only when said signal lever is in the left-hand position and the normally open con tact of said manual circuit controller is closed, means for energizing said right-hand signal relay when and only when said lever is in the right-hand position and the normally open contact of said circuit controller is closed,

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means for subsequently keeping either of said signal relays energized as long as the normally closed contact of said circuit controller is closed, two signals governing trafiic in opposite directions, and means for clearing one or the other of said signals according as said left-hand or said right-hand signal relay is energized.

6. In combination, arailway switch lever having normal and reverse positions, a manual circuit controller having a normally closed and a normally open contact, a normal switch relay and a reverse switch relay, a pick-up circuit for said normal switch relay including a normal contact on said lever and a back contact on said reverse switch relay as well as the normally open contact of said manual circuit controller, a pick-up circuit for said reverse relay including a reverse contact on said lever and a back contact of said normal switch relay as well as the normally open contact of said manual circuit controller, a stick circuit for each of said relays including the normally closed contact of said manual circuit controller, a polarized signal relay, means for energizing said polarized relay in normal or reverse direction according as said right-hand signal relay or said left-hand signal relay is energized, two signals governing trafiic in opposite directions, and means for clearing one of said signals or the other according as said polarized relay is energized in the normal or reverse direction.

7. In combination, a section of railway track pro itled with a main signal and a milling-on signal, a normally open calling-011 signal relay, a pick-up circuit for said relay controlled from a remote point, a contact operated by said main signal and closed when and only when the signal indicates stop, a stick circuit for said relay including said contact and the front contact of the relay, whereby when said relay is closed from said remote point it will remain closed as long as said main signal indicates stop, and means for clearing said calling-011 signal when said calling-on relay is energized.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

EARL M. ALLEN. 

